07/07/2022
I will get my money back, I swear
Happy new month to You
I learnt a wonderful sales lesson yesterday which is what I want to tell you about.
So, yesterday, I went into this pharmacy to purchase a shampoo that my hair stylist recommended for me to help my hair's texture.
You see the word "recommended" up there, right?
We will get back to it later.
So, I walked into this big pharmacy.
Immediately, I entered, this sweet looking lady approached me with an unusually sweet smile and asked me what I was looking for.
So, I told her and she immediately took me to the pharmacist in charge who is a man.
She told the man what I was looking for and the pharmacist quickly brought it out.
While I was about to pay, the lady with the sweet smile said...
"You know what? We also have this wonderful hair cream that will make your hair shine and look great. And we are running a wonderful discount for the cream right now. Let me get it"
So, off she went with her little legs to get the cream.
And I am like - "Oh well, it is just a cream that will enhance the work of the shampoo, nothing bad adding it"
While I was about to pay again, I noticed this lady was staring at me.
So, I looked at her and she said "Oh dear, why do you have all this pimples on your face?"
She said that while looking at and pointing at my chin. (I usually have this acne breakout on my face every month end)
Then she continued...
"We have a cream that will help you remove all this pimples. Don't worry. It is very cheap. Let me go and get it"
At this point, I was laughing because I realised what she was doing.
So when she came back, she didn't come back with just a cream, the lady came back with a cream and something she called a face wash soap which will help my face fresher and remove the little spots on my face.
When she came back, I told her I won't be needing the cream and soap.
Instead of responding to me, she simply looked at the pharmacist and said:
"Doctor, don't you think this cream and soap will help him?"
The doctor nodded and said Yes.
So she looked at me and said - "you see, you should buy it , she showed me the price and said they will give me a discount and then she gave it to me"
So I was like - "no problem"
At this point, I thought she would stop.
But no...
She realised I was buying.
So, she continued with another recommendation of a vitamin that would help my skin.
This time I said NO and stood my ground.
Then she left.
That is not all.
While I was about to pay again, the pharmacist said - "you know what, a zinc supplement can actually be of help to you"
Now, that one got me because I have actually been looking for zinc supplements.
So, I told him to add it.
But you know what?
Instead of this man to give me my zinc supplement jeje.
He also went to bring a "se.xu.al performance enhancer" supplement with it.
In his Igbo accent, he said:
"This supplement will really help you perform very well"
I was just laughing.
In my mind, I was like "Oga, leave me alone jare."
I told him No and that I didn't need the sexual enhancer.
So, he said no problem and gave me my bill.
When I saw the bill, all I could do was smile.
I came to this pharmacy to buy a shampoo that cost 1,500 Naira only.
Now, I am getting a bill of 6,720 Naira
Like how?
But I paid for it sha because I actually felt happy about how they did their sales job effectively.
Na me get money to pay.
So, what is the lesson here?
We will start from the hair stylist.
She was the one who recommended a shampoo for me.
And why did I follow her recommendation?
2 reasons:
(1) she is an authority on hair issues.
We human beings are prone to following the advice and recommendations of an authority or someone who looks like an authority.
(2) She actually used the shampoo to wash my hair while I was at the salon and I loved the way my hair looked when she used it.
You see?
You can use a combination of those 2 things to sell almost anything.
ONE: Appear as an authority or hire an authority to do your selling for you.
TWO: If it is something people can test, give them a sample so that they can see how good or effective the main product is.
Aha!
Now, let's go to our pharmacy people.
Boy!
Those people are awesome.
I am still going to collect my money back sha.
These people are very intentional about their sales.
And it starts with that good looking lady with an awesome smile.
That wasn't by accident.
She was hired for the purpose of using the smile to capture people.
And then - The pharmacist dressed in a lab coat which made him have that authority look.
And then the lady didn't even call him pharmacist.
She called him "doctor'
That was intentional.
Then they realized I was a buyer and that is why they kept selling because buyers buy and buy and buy.
Let's start with how they sold me.
She started by asking what I wanted.
Aka
"How can I help you?"
Once she realised my sweet spot - which is "looking good"
She started biting hard into it.
A normal person will say - but asking for a shampoo is not looking good.
If that is you, you have nothing to do with sales and marketing.
When I mentioned that expensive shampoo, she knew only someone who is intentional about their looks and has the money to spend will ask for it.
And that is why she started recommending other products that are all targeted to the same area.
Are you following me here?
Then they intentionally put that so called "doctor or Pharmacist" there.
To be frank, the man could have been anyone dressed in a lab coat.
But the fact that he as dressed that way gives him that authority look.
Are you even getting these lessons at all?
By properly positioning themselves and understanding the sweet spot of their customer (aka Me)
They were able to recommend additional products that moved the amount I was supposed to spend from #1,500 to #6,720
Of course, not all customers would respond to these but they only need about 20% of them to do and that will 3x or even 10X their sales.
Anyway...
If you have a business, you should be thinking of how to apply this in your business right now.
That is all I have for you today.
Gold
Your business coach
